Sri Lanka is likely to get 600,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines from China on 31 March, reported Daily Mirror. This comes after the Chinese government had earlier announced donating 600,000 doses of its vaccines to Sri Lanka. 

Channa Jayasumana, Sri Lankan State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, informed about the delivery. It will also receive around 20,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, the delivery of which is expected by mid-April.

The Sri Lankan government this week had granted approval to purchase seven million doses of Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccines from Russia. 

The island nation is reportedly also in touch with the UK’s AstraZeneca. The government has been trying to diversify its vaccine supply so that any temporary interruption in supply doesn’t affect its inoculation drive. 

Earlier reports suggested India’s Serum Institute of India may not be able to deliver 8 million vaccines to Sri Lanka on time. However, the Sri Lankan government said it won’t hamper its vaccination drive. 

India had also earlier donated one million doses of Covishield to Sri Lanka. It will also receive free vaccines from the WHO’s Covax facilities.